Worcester's unmarked police cars to get police license plates

WORCESTER — Most of the Police Department's unmarked vehicles will lose some of their anonymity as the department transfers over to light blue police license plates.

Many of the unmarked vehicles used by detectives, police officials and specialty units had traditional license plates. The move to police license plates will give police a more visible presence in the city, police officials said.

"I think it goes a long way to let the community know we are out there and also act as a crime deterrent," Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said.

The department has a fleet of about 75 unmarked cars and 50 will receive the new blue police plates.

Chief Gemme believes people seeing the new plates on the unmarked vehicles might approach officers more and give them information about crimes or neighborhood issues.

The department still has vehicles officers can use to conduct surveillance and undercover work. The department can lease vehicles, rent cars or use seized vehicles for the surveillance work. Those vehicles will not have the new police plates.

"It is certainly not going to inhibit our investigative work through surveillance and other undercover work we are going to do," the chief said.